Probiodrug AG and its Collaborators Will Present Novel Insights into the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease and Biomarkers at AD/PD 2011 in Barcelona

Halle/Saale, March 08th 2011 -- Probiodrug AG (Probiodrug), a biotech company developing novel concepts and products for the treatment of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases with a particular focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), today announced that its innovative research on the onset of AD and its consequences for novel treatment options will be endorsed by a series of posters and presentations on this year’s 10th International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases (AD/PD 2011), taking place in Barcelona, Spain, during March 9-13.

The company will present new results from its labs in Halle and at Ingenium GmbH in Munich as well as results from its collaboration with international academic institutions, such as the Universities of Göttingen and of Leipzig, Germany, and University of Virginia, Charlottesville and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.

Hans-Ulrich Demuth, CSO of Probiodrug, stated: ”Looking at the conference program it becomes evident that Probiodrug’s pioneering work on delineating the role of pyroglutamated amyloid (pEß or pGluA?? in AD is gaining considerable attention and broadening, resulting in more than two dozen posters and presentations on the topic”.

About Probiodrug AG

Probiodrug is a leading biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative small molecule drugs against novel molecular targets for the treatment of neuronal and inflammatory diseases. Probiodrug is validating new targets to develop first and best in class therapeutics in disease areas with high unmet medical needs. The Company has a dominant position in the area of glutaminyl cyclase inhibition. Glutaminyl cyclase a novel enzyme target discovered and patented by Probiodrug has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as well as other inflammatory disease conditions. The company is also pursuing additional novel targets to treat inflammatory diseases.
Probiodrug is backed by institutions such as BB Biotech, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Goodvent/IBG, HBM, TVM, Life Sciences Partners, Biogen Idec Ventures, CFH Group and private investors.

Probiodrug's core expertise is based on its long-standing, unique expertise in the elucidation of the structure and function of enzymes which play a central role in the maturation of hormones. The Company has pioneered the field of DP4-inhibition for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Compounds and technology patents of its DP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase 4) program in diabetes were licensed to various pharmaceutical companies. In 2004, all metabolic assets were sold to (OSI) Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The first drug based on Probiodrug`s technologies reached the market in late 2006. Proceeds of the various transactions have been reinvested to fund the novel approach for the treatment of AD and inflammatory diseases.
The Company was founded in 1997 by Prof Dr Hans-Ulrich Demuth and Dr Konrad Glund. Probiodrug has raised EUR 56 mio with the latest round of EUR 36 mio concluded in November 2009. In 2007, the company acquired Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG; Probiodrug is located in Halle (Saale), Germany, and operates a subsidiary in Martinsried/Munich, Germany. For more information, please visit www.probiodrug.de.